THE BEATLES john emms reviews the REMASTERES/must have for fans

From sonic sparkle to warm reverb touches to almost the same but louder THE BEATLES REMASTERED catologue is a mammoth undertaking. I received a 32 track Sampler, Rubber Soul, Beatles For Sale, Help and The White Album

But before I start on the SOUND. Let me tell you the Historcial Notes,  Recording Notes,  the Limited Edition Packaging, and Mini documentary videos for your PC OR MAC are PRIMO

THIS IS WORTH THE PRICE ALONE.killer photos, superb historical facts all in one paakage

The crisp sparkle of  NO REPLY that opens  Beatles For Sale is staggering. The vocal work wil blow you out of the room and that goes ditto for John Lennon’s incredible vocal to Chuck Berry’s Rock N Roll Music and Paul’s gorgeous I’ll Follow The Sun  On other songs like Ringo’ s vocal on Honey Don’t it is not as startling.

The White Album retains extra packaging on deluxe paper and also the same poster (but smaller) from the original vinyl. Again sound-wise results are good to mind blowing. Disc One standouts are Lennon’s Glass Onion, Happiness is a Warm Gun and a very warm vinyl to Martha My Dear and the stupendous Blackbird from Paul.

 On Disc 2 the bass work of McCartney on Birthday comes out thumping, Lennon’s vocal work on Sexy Sadie is more in your face, and ditto for George Harrison’s Savoy Truffle, while Ringo’s Good Night with Orchestra arrangemt from George Martin may be the best remastered thing I hear on the whole disc. WOW..

Rubber Soul and Help offer more of the same but make no mistake there is sonic upgrade. I did not receive Sgt Pepper’s or Magical Mystery Tour which I can only think will blow your mind. Every track is mastered from the original stereo anaolog master tapes

our lady peace-cd review-burn burn

                                            

SOLID, & PUNCHY    Did I say  INTELLIGENT..you bet…Who would have thought after 14 years in the business OLP would create one of the best albums of their catolog.    NOT ME. 

This cd is a return to the scaled down rock punch of NAVEED while the lyrics and melodies come from a place which shows how experienced songcraft can benefit a band’s overall sound.

Whatever you do pick up the deluxe version of this package containing the cd/dvd. The dvd is pure stripped down magic. The 4 members of the band working the groove live in the studio. Check out the ripping bass line to Monkey Brains, the atmosphere of Dreamland, and the integrity of Refuge. These tracks  are just the tip of the iceberg    The new single All You Did Was Save My Life is banging up radio already, and this is one cd that will not dissapoint!

patrick watson-wooden arms-cd review

Both the name of the singer-songwriter and the band PW come off like a cross between Radiohead and  Manic Street Preachers without the teeth.

The band is totally involved and compelling tracks like Beijing, Tracy’s Arms, and Travelling Salesman. Atmospheric yes, but not enough strong songs. Fragments of melody but a wee bit boring for my taste

Sick Puppies-Tri-Polar-cd review

Hard , heavy and very catchy. This Aussie 3 piece (drummer Mark Goodwin is an American) rip and tear away at your senses. The first 2 tracks are WAR and I HATE YOU sample lyric.”When I find you on the floor, I know you think hate me but I hate you even more”

Just the same melody is never far away. Check out Odd One and So What I Lied both a little less heavy in riffage in parts but SP always find a bridge or chorus to lay you wasted.

Some of this stuff is anthemic. feeling pissed off, throw this baby on

webb wilder MORE LIkE ME-CD review

This cd will appeal mostly to Wilder’s hard core audience. For those not in the know Wilder has always carried the  same type of feel for great North American roots rock that UK’s Dave Edmunds has. In fact he starts this cd with Ju Ju Man the Jim Ford/Lolly Vegas staple a song Edmunds and Brinsley Schwarz had success with.

Strangley Wilder’s own low key tracks like Too Cool For Love and She’s Not Romantic come off really well, as does his killer cover of She Said Yeah.  The disc has it’s moments, but I say check out his live disc released 2 years ago.

jeff healey-organic blues- songs from the road cd review

There is a joyful feeling to this recording. Everything is in the moment. It makes you proud to be a musician. Honestly I have played this 7 times in 3 weeks. That is a lot  when you recieve tons of  cd’s for review every month.

Yes Jeff is gone but we have this music to remind us of his enormous talent. Remember the name Dan Noordemeer. He is the band’s other guitarist besides Jeff and he simply sparkles. Whether it’s the harmony leads with Jeff on Angel Eyes, his solid rythmn work on I Think I Love You Too Much, or the alternate chopping licks on I‘ m Ready and  Stop Breaking Down.  He is just a joy to listen to.

Elsewhere bassist Alec Fraser digs deep,  he sings lead on Cream’s White Room and then produces and mixes this cd. 

 Guess Who/BTO axe man Randy Bachman rips nasty leads with Jeff on Hoochie Coochie Man, and the crowd and band carry the George Harrison classic while My Guitar Gently Weeps. Last but not least solid mastering  job by  Andy Krehm .  This reminds me why we just love to play and gig.

dave matthews band-cd review big whiskey & the grookrux king

Hands down the most intelligent rock/pop recording of the last 2 or 3 years.

Why you ask???..Simple folks..Matthews and band do not cater, dumb down nor really care what you think..Debuting at No 1 in over 20 countries is cool, but DMB work from the head and heart in such a way that the American Idols of the world  will never understand.

FUNNY THE WAY IT IS..is a monster first single. However that track is possibly trumped by the pure funky pop of Why I Am, the horn driven Shake Me Like A Monkey, and the atmospheric beauty of Lying in The Hands of God.

Elsewhere the new gift here is electric guitars. It’s already been stated in other reviews..

But hell IT’S ABOUT TIME !!! 

For me personally aggressvie, meaty guitars was the misssing link with DMB. Check them out on tracks like Squirm, Time Bomb, Shake Me Like a Monkey and flashes throughout the disc.

DMB sax man Leroi Moore a founding member of DMB died in an accident with the making of this the group’s seventh album. It may sound like a cliche but Moore must be happy considering his bandmates are carrying on being one of the more intelligent bands on the planet.  john e

shaftmen new cd..de keyzer produces..paycheque blues..

THE FANS HAVE THEIR SAY

HEARD IT ON CBC..POINTS NORTH and  BOUGHT IT..hell it rocks..

I bought it at your show..then ..put it on at our barebecue……”EVERYONE..just loved it..they said wow who are these guys? 

BLUES SCHOOL I heard it on Saturday Night Blues.WITH HOLGER PETERSON….just rips–you guys mention all of my fave blues heroes ..thank you

25 TONS..I drive big rigs..up north…the lyrics are so true on that  song..GREAT SONG

“my wife and I love your cover of JIMMY REED’S Bright Lights Big City

we are big fans of JACK DE KEYZER..and now you guys,..he did a great job….producing you guys…..wow

NORTH WIND BLUES..when I hear that track I think of Rory Galallgher..he would have loved that slow blues

pete yorn/new..cd review/back and fourth

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THIS ALBUM  has it’s place for me this summer. Yet, SUMMER albums for me  are not what they used to be.  Sure, I will get back into my Blue Rodeo laments.  I’ll  tap the Van Morrison into the six pack cd changer, and last week I took Yorn’s latest for a spin. 

Maybe I’m too busy , maybe I want to dig deeper into heartbreak. Maybe it’s easier to sing the blues

Maybe as Yorn sings in Paradise Cove ” I got what I wanted and It’s never enough, And that could be bad for us both” Yeah that’s the one for me.

Relationships are at the heart of this record.  On the track Close and the more uptempo Last Summer Yorn yearns for the newness of an old relationship. but so do we all.

Listen this is not a rock record. In fact it simmers, but there is plenty of passion. Long Time Nothing New is the prime example.  It’s the good downer stuff. Plenty of imagery swashes and drifts.

Just let your mind take over on a long drive.

Heck, if your really thinking about the one that got away Don’t Wanna Cry will take you out to that sea of heartbreak.

Look it’s like this.  “Same old town, Loose ends surround me, Always drags you down”..That’s Yorn talking baby, but he’s in the ballpark

john e

duke robillard/review..stomp the blues tonight

Let’s face it Robillard has forgot more about blues music than most younger musicians currently know. That’s a stone cold fact.

As a throwback to his days with ROOMFUL OF BLUES, this disc proves to be very worthy.

With the  updated engineering of today coupled with Duke’s killer feel you might think you’re in some smoky club mid fifties but with the perfect seat, and nice clean ambience to boot. I’m talkin’  smack dab in your living room folks!!

The  material is mostly from the 1940’s and 50’s, and with the players all of Robillard alumni, the actual recording comes off as musicians totally in sync with the project.

In short they all love this stuff! That’s the trick folks.

Johnny Watson’s 3 Hours Past Midnight is a prime example of  how good the band and cd sounds. Nothing is forced and Duke whips off one of those ringing pure vibrato single note type solos, that are so good it makes you smile from ear to ear.

Elsewhere the horns play charts that anchor up the  melodies of Baby You Don’t Know and Do Me Right, and simply swing like hell on the title track written by Robillard 

I ’m not in love with all 16 tracks for one reason only.

If Duke had cut this cd back to 10 or 12 songs it would have been more  like an old vinyl album experience.

Other highlights are Look But Don’t Touch with Sunny Crownover,   the Ike Turner jump of Tore Up and the much recorded Early In the Morning, done here with real class.

Standout chops throughout the disc from drummer Mark Teixeira, sax guru Doug James, basssit Marty Ballou and Bruce Bears on piano.

You can’t fake this stuf baby, and that’s what makes this disc so vital.